Monmouthsire Business Awards Launched

THIS year’s Monmouthshire Business Awards will be bigger and better than ever, while retaining its family feel. This was the message given to sponsors and judges was the 2017 awards which were launched yesterday – 12th April at the Greenmeadow Golf and Country Club in Cwmbran.

Guests heard broadcaster Hywel James, who will be hosting the awards ceremony later this year, and MBA founder and director Janet Harris talk about the changes to this year’s event.

The geographical area for this year’s awards has been expanded to include the ‘old Monmouthshire’ – towns and cities that were part of the county prior to 1965.

Organisers have been turning entries away in recent years because they did not come from the current Monmouthshire local authority area.

So this year’s awards have gone ‘back to the future’ with entries accepted from businesses in Monmouthshire, Newport, Caerleon, Cwmbran, Ebbw Vale, Usk and Caerphilly.

Mrs Harris said: “We’ve also expanded the categories to reflect the complexity of the wider business area. “We think these changes will make the awards even more special. We are all about helping businesses achieve recognition. “We’ve already had more applications than ever before.”

Mr James, who has hosted the awards for the last five years, said: “What I like most about these awards is they are personal rather than corporate, there is a family feel about every stage of the awards – from launch to judging to the gala dinner.”